Lucic engages in spirited preseason bout

Under normal circumstances, Milan Lucic, would be applauded for dropping the gloves and protecting their teammates. In the preseason, that might be a different story.

On one perspective, some fans can assume that Lucic is getting warmed up for the regular season.

On the other hand, do you really want to see the players who you depend upon during the regular season risk an injury if you’re Claude Julien? We’ll let the Bruins bench boss answer that.

“Hockey’s hockey,” Julien said after Monday’s 3-2 overtime win over the Washington Capitals at the TD Garden. “I know you don’t necessarily like seeing that, but guys are used to playing a game the certain way and preseason is about fine tuning yourself and it was what it was.”

For sure, there’s a reason for concern whenever one of your regulars drop the gloves. On the other hand, there’s some positives involved, too.

“There’s a lot of cons in fighting in preseason. You don’t want to break a hand, or get a concussion or anything like that,” Lucic said. “The pros are no matter what the situation is and no matter what the game is, you’re going to stick up for your teammates. It was good to get into one, but it was a long one.”

Lucic, indeed, got a good warmup.

Towards the end of the first period, the seventh-year forward dropped the gloves with Capitals enforcer Joel Rechlichz, who, like Lucic in his rookie season, is trying to earn a spot on Washington’s roster. The two exchanged punches in a spirited fight as Lucic had a difficult time landing the KO on Rechlichz. But in the end, the decision went to the 25-year old Bruin by the slightest of margins.

“Great fight. I’m sure you guys enjoyed it,” Lucic said about his fight with Rechlichz. “It’s always nice to get into one, because of the off-season and not getting into a fight. Having one like that, there’s probably no better way to get back into it.

“Guy is trying to do everything he can to earn a spot,” Lucic said about Rechlichz. “That’s his game. He brings that physical, intimidation type of style and sticking up for his teammates. We didn’t cross the line to get jumped, but at the end of the day guys at this point are trying to do everything they can to make the team, and that’s pretty much it.”

Whether its the preseason, regular season or postseason, as long as the fans are entertained, things must be okay in The Hub of Hockey.

“That was a fight for men,” Julien said about the Lucic-Rechlichz bout. “For people that enjoy that part of the game, they got their money’s worth tonight.”

Certainly the cons could have outweighed the pros given the situation. But, on this night, there was little negativity and a little positivity.

In case you missed it, here’s a clip of last night’s fight between Lucic and Rechlichz via HockeyFights.com.

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